Biology Competency TestReview Questions

In research, a scientist must always consider

A. plants.B. evidence.C. photographs.D. theories.

A bias is mostly due to

A. the study of life.B. controlled experiments.C. experimental data.D. a personal point of view.

Topics studied in biology include all of the following except

A. the biosphere.B. rocks and minerals.C. changes in groups of organisms.D. reproduction and growth.

All of the following are characteristics of all living things except the ability to

A. grow and develop.B. maintain a stable internal

environment.C. change over time.D. reproduce asexually.

All of the following are big ideas in biology except living things are

A. unable to adapt to their surroundings.

B. based on an universal genetic code.C. made up of cells.D. diverse.

A logical explanation of natural phenomena that is supported by scientific observations and experiments is called a (an)A. HypothesisB. InferenceC. FactorD. Theory

The scientific method is

A. A way of posing a research question only.

B. Used to organize data that is already known.

C. An organized approach to problem solving.

D. Used by all scientists in an identical way.

Which statement best describes a scientific theory

A. It is a collection of data designed to provide support for a prediction.

B. It is an educated guess that can be tested by experimentation.

C. It is a scientific fact that no longer requires any evidence to support it.

D. It is a general statement that is supported by many scientific observations.

A biologist reported success in breeding a tiger with a lion, producing healthy fertile offspring. Other biologists will accept this report as fact only ifA. Research shows that other animals

can be crossbredB. The offspring are given a new

scientific nameC. The biologist included a control in

the experimentD. They can repeat the experiment

and get the same results

A scientist wants to study the internal structure of a chloroplast (part of a plant cell) in great detail. The best instrument for this detailed examination would be a (an)

A. Compound microscopeB. Simple light microscopeC. Electron microscopeD. Ultracetrifuge

Which structure is best seen by using a compound light microscope?A. A cell’s nucleusB. A parameciumC. A DNA sequence D. A mitochondrion

The positively charged particle in an atom is called a

A. neutron.B. ion.C. proton.D. electron.

Proteins are polymers formed from

A. lipids.B. amino acids.C. carbohydrates.D. nucleic acids.

The two elements found in every organic compound are

A. Nitrogen and oxygen B. Oxygen and hydrogenC. Carbon and hydrogenD. Carbon and oxygen

Which family of organic is used mainly to store energy for the body?

A. LipidsB. CarbohydratesC. ProteinsD. Nucleic acids

The subunits of DNA are called

A. Amino acidsB. NucleotidesC. PolysaccharidesD. Cell units

Every single celled organism is able to survive because it carries out

A. Metabolic activitiesB. Heterotrophic nutritionC. Autotrophic nutritionD. Sexual reproduction

Which sequence represents the correct order of levels of organization found in a complex organism?

A. Cellsorganellesorgansorgan systemstissues

B. Organellescellstissuesorgansorgan systems

C. Tissuesorgansorgan systemsorganellescells

D. Organsorgan systemscellstissuesorganelles

The scientist who gave cells their name was

A. Anton van Leeuwenhoek.B. Robert Hooke.C. Matthias Schleiden.D. Theodor Schwann.

The microscopes used in school laboratories to enlarge objects up to 1000 times are

A. light microscopes.B. dark microscopes.C. scanning electron microscopes.D. transmission electron microscopes.

The flexible lipid bilayer that surrounds a cell is the

A. cytoskeleton.B. endoplasmic reticulum.C. cell wall.D. cell membrane.

Which organelle packages materials that will be shipped out of the cell?

A. centriolesB. mitochondriaC. Golgi apparatusD. lysosomes

In ____ , water molecules move through cell membranes.

A. osmosisB. bulk transportC. phagocytosisD. endocytosis

In a hypertonic solution, a cell will

A. swell.B. burst.C. shrink.D. stay the same.

Small molecules can be moved actively across the cell membrane by

A. diffusion.B. water channel proteins.C. proteins that act like pumps.D. facilitated diffusion.

Which structure in the cell shown in Figure 7–1 above stores materials, such as water, salts, proteins, and carbohydrates?

A. structure A B. structure BC. structure CD. structure D

Which means of particle transport is shown in Figure 7–1 above?

A. DiffusionB. facilitated diffusionC. OsmosisD. active transport

Which of the following organisms are prokaryotes?

A. PlantsB. bacteriaC. animalsD. fungi

A plant cell shrinks when placed in salt water due to the

A. Osmosis of water molecules out of the cell.

B. Osmosis of water molecules into the cell.

C. Diffusion of salt molecules into the cell.

D. Diffusion of salt molecules out of the cell.

Organisms undergo constant chemical changes as they maintain an internal balance known as

A. InterdependenceB. SynthesisC. HomeostasisD. Recombination

What characteristic have evolved that helps to maintain an internal balance know as

A. Taller bodies with larger cellsB. Shorter bodies with fewer cellsC. Multicellular bodies with many cellsD. Multicellular bodies with fewer cells

Intracellular fluid is important for exchange of materials between

A. Body cells and arteriesB. Body cells and veinsC. Veins and capillariesD. Body cells and capillaries

Chemical reactions within a cell usually take place

A. Over extremely long periods of timeB. In a series of small stepsC. All at once in a single burstD. Over a period of several days

The waste product of photosynthesis is

A. oxygen.B. water.C. carbon dioxide.D. sugar.

What is the primary light-absorbing pigment in plants?

A. ChlorophyllB. caroteneC. thylakoidD. ATP synthase

Deer and cows eat plants. These animals are classified as

A. autotrophs.B. heterotrophs.C. photosynthesizers.D. decomposers.

The reactants of photosynthesis are

A. sugars and oxygen.B. ATP and NADP.C. oxygen and carbon dioxide.D. carbon dioxide and water.

Which of the following organisms is a heterotroph?

A. mushroomB. wheatC. algaD. sunflower

The stroma is the region outside the

A. thylakoids.B. plant cells.C. chloroplasts.D. all of the above

Photosynthesis uses sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into

A. oxygen and carbon.B. high-energy sugars and proteins.C. ATP and oxygen.D. oxygen and high-energy sugars

The Calvin cycle is another name for the

A. light-independent reactions. B. photosynthesis reaction.C. light-dependent reactions.D. electron transport chain.

Which is a source of energy for Earth’s living things?

A. wind energy onlyB. sunlight onlyC. wind energy and sunlightD. sunlight and chemical energy

The physical, or nonliving, components of the ecosystem are called

A. abiotic factors.B. biotic factors.C. antibiotic factors.D. temperate factors.

All life on Earth exists in a region known as

A. ecology.B. a biome.C. biomass.D. the biosphere.

The total mass of living tissue at each trophic level can be shown in a

A. pyramid of numbers.B. biogeochemical cycle.C. pyramid of biomass.D. limiting nutrient.

Nutrients move through an ecosystem in

A. biogeochemical cycles.B. water cycles.C. energy pyramids.D. ecological pyramids.

A group of populations living together in one area is a

A. species.B. community.C. ecosystem.D. biosphere.

Another word for a producer is a(n)

A. heterotroph.B. carnivore.C. scavenger.D. autotroph.

The first trophic level consists of organisms that

A. Use energy to make their own foodB. Eat first level consumers onlyC. Eat producers and consumersD. Add matter to the ecosystem

What is always transferred in a food chain?

A. ToxinsB. WaterC. EnergyD. Oxygen

Which sequence initiates a correct flow of energy?

A. HerbivoresuncarnivoreB. SunproducerherbivoreC. ProducersuncarnivoreD. Carnivoreherbivoresun

In most habitats the removal of carnivores will have the most immediate effect on a population of

A. ProducersB. HerbivoresC. DecomposersD. Microbes

In a food web energy always moves

A. In a continuous cycle among trophic levels

B. Back and forth between two trophic levels

C. From a lower to higher trophic level only

D. From a higher to a lower trophic level only

What goes in Box 5 of the food web in Figure 3–1?

A. herbivoresB. scavengersC. carnivoresD. decomposers

The organisms that help recycle elements by breaking down organic matter include

A. Grass and algaeB. Bacteria and algaeC. Bacteria and fungiD. Plants and fungi

Unlike a desert, a tropical rainforest typically has

A. Low biodiversityB. Great biodiversityC. A small variety of organismsD. A small number of organisms

What is the longest food chain in Figure 3–5 that contains grass as a producer?

Answer:

Grassgrasshopper frog snake fox mountain lion

What are the primary producers in Figure 3–5?

Answer:

Tree, grass

Which species would be MOST affected if a disease killed off most of the trees in the ecosystem shown in Figure 3–5? What other species might be affected? Explain your answers.

Answer:

Most: Deer, CaterpillarOther: Mountain Lion,Robin, Fox

Would the snake obtain a greater percentage of energy from the grass after eating a frog or a grasshopper in Figure 3–5? Explain your answer.

Answer:

Grasshopper

bc. Each trophic levelYou loose 90% of energy

A disruption in homeostasis can result in all of the following except

A. IllnessB. DeathC. DiseaseD. Stability

In a muddy pond, light-colored fish are more likely to be eaten than dark-colored fish. What is dark coloring an example of?

A. artificial selectionB. fossil evidenceC. adaptationD. none of the above

Darwin realized that members of populations compete for food, living space, and other necessities. This is known as

A. struggle for existence.B. variation and adaptations.C. survival of the fittest.D. natural selection.

Both bats and mosquitoes have wings. This is an example of a(n)

A. analogous structure.B. homologous structure.C. vestigial structure.D. none of the above.

Darwin’s theory of evolution is supported by

A. DNA evidence.B. fossil evidence.C. embryology.D. all of the above.

Both snakes and squirrels are animals. Mammalia is a class of animals that are covered with hair. Based on this information, which classification group includes both snakes and squirrels?

A. speciesB. orderC. classD. kingdom

Linnaeus is considered the father of modern taxonomy. For the most part, we still classify organisms using the Linnaean system created in the eighteenth century. Which of the following is NOT part of the Linnaean system?

A. binomial nomenclatureB. kingdomsC. domainsD. species

Both camels and giraffes belong to the order Artiodactyla. This means they must belong to the same

A. ClassB. KingdomC. FamilyD. both A and C

The scientific name for the red maple tree is Acer rubrum. This name includes its

A. Class and phylumB. Family and speciesC. Genus and speciesD. Genus and order

The branch of biology that deals with classification of life forms is called

A. EmbryologyB. TaxonomyC. MorphologyD. Biochemistry

The two domains composed of only unicellular organisms are

A. Eubacteria and Archaea.B. Archaea and Bacteria.C. Eukarya and Bacteria.D. Archaea and Eukarya.

According to the cladogram in Figure 18–1, what two characteristics do crabs and barnacles share that limpets do not?

Answer:1. Molted skeleton2. Segmentation

Which level of taxonomic category shown in Figure 18–3 contains the greatest number of different organisms?

Answer: Kingdom

Do all organisms shown in Figure 18–3 that belong to the order Carnivora also belong to the phylum Chordata? Explain.

Answer: Yes bc carnivoresAre mammals and Mammals are chordates

Do all organisms shown in Figure 18–4 that belong to the class Mammalia also belong to the genus Ursus? Explain.

Answer: No only bears

Heredity is best described as

A. A behavioral difference among offspring.

B. The struggle for existence among living things.

C. Traits that are passed from one generation to the next.

D. The gradual change in organisms over many years.

A mutation usually results from

A. Artificial selection carried out by humans

B. The fact that only the fittest organisms survive

C. A sudden change in the genetic material of an organism

D. Competition for resources such as food and water

A couple had two children one with blue eyes and the other with brown eyes. This diffrence is an example of

A. Natural selectionB. Artificial selectionC. Genetic variationD. Acquired characteristics

Any inherited characteristic that increases an organism’s chance of survival is a(n)

A. adaptation.B. polygenic trait.C. homologous trait.D. derived character.

Which statement represents the major concept of the biological theory of evolution?

A. A new species moves into a habitat whenever another species becomes extinct.

B. Present-day organisms on Earth developed from earlier, different organisms.

C. Every period of time in Earth’s history had its own group of organisms.

D. Every location on Earth’s surface has its own unique group of organisms.

Selective breeding for particular traits can be used to

A. Develop cultivated plants onlyB. Develop domesticated animals onlyC. Develop cultivated plants and

domesticated animalsD. Breed rare, wild animal species only

According to theory of evolution by natural selection some organisms are more likely than others to survive and reproduces because they

A. Can pass on to offspring new characteristics they acquired during their lifetimes

B. Do not pass on to offspring any new characteristics they have acquired

C. Are better adapted to conditions in the environment than other organisms are

D. Tend to produce fewer offspring than others do within the same environment

Most fossils are found in

A. rusty water.B. volcanic rock.C. sedimentary rock.D. the sap of ancient trees.

Fossils usually provide paleontologists with information about each of the following EXCEPT

A. an organism’s structureB. an organism’s way of lifeC. an organism’s environmentD. an organism’s DNA

All of the following can be used as evidence to support Darwin’s theory of evolution except the

A. Similarity of chemicals in all living things

B. Distribution of species on the planet today

C. Shapes and structures of living organisms

D. Distribution of mountain ranges on Earth’s surface

Which statement is best supported by evidence from the fossil record?

A. Most of the organisms that lived on Earth in the past are now extinct.

B. The struggle for existence between organisms results in genetic changes.

C. Species occupying the same habitat have identical environmental needs.

D. Structures such as leg bones and wing bones come from the same embryonic tissue.

The evolutionary tree in Figure 19–1 shows relationships among several mammal species. Which group of modern mammals is the most closely related to elephants (Proboscideans)?

A. Answer: Sirenians

According to Figure 1, below which beak size do no birds survive?

A. Answer: 8 mm

According to Figure 1, how are the two variables, bird survival and beak size, related?

A. Answer: The bigger the beak the better the survival

rate.

Watson and Crick contributed to the study of DNA by

A. Experimenting with pea plantsB. Recognizing that traits are inherited C. Discovering the double helix

structure of DNAD. Mapping the entire human genome

If one strand of DNA molecule is GATCCAT the sequence of the opposite strand is

A. GATCCATB. CTAGGTAC. ATGGATGD. TACCTAG

DNA is copied in a process called

A. replication.B. translation.C. transcription.D. transformation.

The cross between a red flower and a white flower produces all pink flowers. This type of inheritance is known as

A. incomplete dominance.B. polygenic inheritance.C. codominance.D. simple dominance.

The result of transcription is

A. a copy of the DNA molecule.B. a strand of RNA.C. a protein.D. a chromosome.

A mutation is considered positive when it

A. Makes it hard for the organism to survive

B. Has absolutely no effect on the organism

C. Changes the organism in an undetectable way

D. Provides a sudden advantage that aids survival

Genes can be best describes as

A. Direction for making DNAB. Directions for making proteinsC. The subunits of proteinsD. Directions for making RNA

Which path correctly describes the flow of information in cells?

A. DNA RNAproteinB. ProteinRNADNAC. Protein DNA RNAD. RNADNAprotein

What does a codon represent ?

A. A specific amino acidB. A specific baseC. An RNA moleculeD. An enzyme

How many nucleotide bases make up a codon?

A. OneB. TwoC. ThreeD. Four

The number of chromosomes in each body cell

A. Is specific for each type of organismB. Is the same for every type of

organismC. Decreases from parent to offspringD. Increases from the parent to

offspring

Before cell division the genetic material must undergo a process called

A. ReductionB. RestorationC. ReplicationD. Reproduction

During mitosis the chromosomes

A. Are cut in half twiceB. Are equally divided C. Form a circle in the cellD. Spread through the cell

In asexual reproduction the genetic material is supplied by

A. One daughter cellB. One parent cellC. Two daughter cellsD. Two parent cells

Damage to a cell’s DNA can cause cancer which results from

A. A slower than normal cell divisionB. A complete stop to all cell divisionC. An uncontrolled type of cell divisionD. No changes in the genetic

instructions

During sexual reproduction the chromosomes of

A. Two separate individuals are combined together

B. One individual are transferred to another

C. One parent only are copied for its offspring

D. Two separate individuals are split apart

If each human body cell has 46 chromosomes how many were in your very first cell?

A. 23B. 92C. 46D. 100

Which of these is formed during fertilization?

A. An egg cellB. A sperm cellC. A zygoteD. A gamete

Mitosis produces new body cells and meiosis produces

A. New body cells tooB. Body cells and sex cellsC. Sex cells onlyD. Red blood cells

Mendel studied inheritance patterns in

A. Pink rosesB. Fruit flies C. Siamese catsD. Pea plants

An allele is best defined as a

A. Version of a geneB. Specialized enzymeC. Subunit of DNAD. Three-base code

Examine the Punnett square above. The genotype in the blank box is

A. TTB. TtC. tTD. tt

T t

T Tt

t Tt tt

The letters in the boxes represent

A. phenotypes.B. genotypes.C. haploid chromosomes.D. codominant alleles

Flowers with the genotype WW are white. Flowers with the genotype RR are red. What is the genotype of each offspring?

A. RRB. WWC. RWD. RRWW

R R

W RW RW

W RW RW

A mule is the result of a cross between a donkey and a horse. A mule is a

A. tetrad.B. genotype.C. phenotype.D. hybrid.

A tall plant (TT) is crossed with a short plant (tt). If the tall F1 pea plants are allowed to self-pollinate

A. the offspring will be of medium height.

B. all of the offspring will be tall.C. all of the offspring will be short.D. the offspring can be tall or short.

A heterozygous tall pea plant is crossed with a short plant. The probability that an F1 plant will be tall isA. 25%.B. 50%.C. 75%.D. 100%.

Variation in human skin color is an example of

A. incomplete dominance.B. polygenic traits.C. codominance.D. multiple alleles.

The offspring of a mating between two heterozygous black guinea pigs in which black is dominant over white, would probably have a genotype ratio of

A. 1BB:2Bb:1bbB. 3Bb:1bbC. 2BB:2bbD. 2BB:1Bb:1bb

The term karyotype refers to a

A. Group of similar allelesB. Photograph of chromosome pairsC. Cross between two plants or

animalsD. Pair of traits that are linked